Principles and Parameters in a Vso Language ― A Case Study in Welsh

This is the first book-length study of Welsh syntax in English using minimalist theory. The central empirical issue addressed is an analysis of word order and clause structure in Welsh, within the context of the Principles and Parameters theory and Welsh as a VSO language. Roberts's central question: Which values of which parameters of Universal Grammar determine VSO order? To answer it, he makes use of parameters whose values are rooted in considerations of typology and language acquisition. Along the way, he shows that Chomsky's recent conception of the Extended Projection Principle is highly relevant, although it requires a slightly more abstract formulation.

Roberts's careful use of parameters, his unique cross-linguistic coverage between Welsh and Romance languages, and his reformulation of the Extended Projection Principle make this book of interest to linguists concerned with generative theory and comparative syntax.

Ian Roberts grew up in North Wales and did his graduate work at the University of Southern California. He was previously Professor and Head of English Linguistics at the University of Stuttgart prior to his current post as Professor and Head of Linguistics at the University of Cambridge.